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Michel/Michael Cardinal (Oukannaysic/Okanase, "Little Bones")
Jacques Cardinal lived in the Yellowhead Pass area of Alberta. His son Michael came to Riding Mountain area area around 1800 and became leader and chief of the Okanase Band. Michael Cardinal was also known as Okanase meaning “little bones”. Moses Burns (Keeseekoowenin - which means “Sky Man”) was one of Michael Cardinal’s sons, and became Chief after his father died.
Michael Cardinal had three wives. His first wife was Dakota or Assiniboine, more likely Assiniboine as her sons seemed to visit back to the Assiniboine people near Qu'Appelle Valley where Sintaluta, Saskatchewan, is now. Some settled out west -- Ouchop stayed there. There were relatives at the Coté Reserve near Kamsack, also around Onion Lake. Mekis lived his life around Riding Mountain and became chief of Okanase Reserve. His family is not known. St. Paul also drifted away somewhere out west.
A second wife was Orkney-Native, maybe a Flett or Burns. She came from the Dog Creek area of Lake Manitoba. The third wife was a French-Native woman from around Pilot Mound or Pembina valley.
The Orkney wife
Michael Cardinal's Orkney wife, who she was, what her name was, and where she came from are confusing. Oral history from Moses Burns's family say she came from the people around the Narrows, the Dog Creek Band, but no name is given. Some sources say her name may have been Chepay, Sarah or Sally Whitford.
She had at least five children
1. Keeseekoowenin, (Moses Burns)
2. Yellowhead
3. Baptese Bone
4. Mrs Wilson of Rolling River Reserve
5. Mrs Moosetail of Pine Creek Reserve
Chief Keeseekoowenin (Moses Burns)
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Family of Chief Keeseekoowenin |
Yellowhead (Ooshawestaquan/Ooshawistequan "Yellow head")
Michel Cardinal's Orkney wife, Sarah/Sally Whitford's son Yellowhead (Osawasstequan) lived in Riding Mountain near his full brothers Baptese Bone, around Wasagaming. Not much is known about him. Some writers said he went out west with some of his brothers. Some said he was in the Riel Rebellion in 1885, but Treaty #2 records show he died in 1885 in Riding Mountain. His brother Baptese married his widow and adopted his two little daughters. Records show he signed a petition along with his brother Baptese, and Gilbert Ross for a request to have a reserve at Pine Creek. So if he went out west, he must have come back before 1870.
Bateese/Baptese/Baptise Bone
The Orkney woman's son, Bateese Bone, councilman, lived on the west shore of Clear Lake. He was head councillor, at the little Reserve 61A hunting and fishing station. He married Yellowhead's widow Kakake, and adopted her two daughters. One daughter married Pat Bone. Bateese's second daughter Seebeese never married. Seebeese lived with and looked after her parents. Bateese Bone lived on the Clear Lake Indian Reserve 61A all his life. He died in 1924 at the age of 100 years and is buried in the little Flett Mission cemetery along with Rev. George Flett and family and his full brother, Keeseekoowenin and family.
He was very well thought of, a fine looking man over 6 feet tall with a slim physique and broad shoulders. He was involved in the affairs of the Okanase Band. According to Governor Morris's Treaty records, Baptise accompanied Keeseekoowenin and Reverend George Flett to a big conference at Quappelle and he and Keeseekoowenin signed an adhesion to the Treaty there.
When the country began to be settled, the district of Crawford Park was being settled by veterans of World War I. The veterans spoke very highly of Baptese Bone. The little reserve 61A proved very popular to the settlers because they got a lot of help from Baptese and his people.
When they first homesteaded and started building their houses and stables. Some of the Natives that lived on Indian Reserve 61A, the little fishing and hunting base, were splendid axe-men. They were great at building log houses and horse stables which the homesteaders had to build.
George Flett Burns (Pamenaywayaskung "Pretty Sounding Step")
George Flett Burns was the oldest son of Moses Burns also known as Chief Keeseekoowenin. Keeseekoowenin was christened Moses Burns by Reverend George Flett, who established the Flett Mission Church and School, where the present Keeseekoowenin Indian Reserve No. 61 is now. Somewhere along the line George Flett Burns dropped the Burns from their name and went by the name Flett. i.e. Mackay Flett, Annie Flett, Mary Flett, Lydia Flett, etc.
George Flett Burns married Ema Cook from the Narrows of Lake Manitoba and Lake Winnipegosis.
Their Children;
Annie Married Alex Sutherland
Mary Never Married
Mackay Married Suzette Blackbird
David Never Married
Grant Never Married
Alex Never Married - Killed in World War I
Solomon Never Married - Killed in World War I
Lydia Married a man from the USA who joined the Canadian Army in WWI. After the war they went to the USA and lived near Dallas and raised a family.
